Streetcar Named Desire - Scene 1-11 Questions PDF

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A Streetcar Named Desire Scene 1 1. Explain the significance of the following place and streetcar names listed off by Blanche in Scene 1: Desire, Cemeteries, Elysian Fields and Belle Reve. What might these names represent?

2. Describe Blanche’s appearance when she first emerges in the play. Be specific and detailed. What might her clothing represent? How well does she fit into her surroundings? What inferences might you make about her character?

3. Describe Stanley’s appearance when he first enters the play. Be specific and detailed. What does the package he is holding represent? How does his behavior give an insight into his character? What inferences might you make about Stanley Kowalski?

4. At the end of Scene One, what music “rises up, faint in the distance”? How does this affect the mood of the scene? What other sound effects has Williams’ included in the first scene? What moods did these sound effects evoke?

5. What happened to Belle Reve? Why?

6. Near the end of Scene One, what do we learn about Blanche’s husband? Scene 2 1.

In Scene Two, Stanley finds out about the loss of Belle Reve. What is his reaction? What does Stanley think that Blanche has done with the money from the sale of Belle Reve? Why is he so concerned with the issue?

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What can you infer about both Blanche and Stanley’s personalities through how they communicated with one another?

Scene 3 1. Sum up the exposition Williams defines for "The Poker Night" scene. Why does Williams integrate the Van Gogh painting? What is the implication of the reference to "primary colours," including the "bold" colours of the linoleum, the shirts, the watermelon - "the raw colours of childhood's spectrum".

2. Describe the interaction between Mitch and Blanche. How is Mitch different from Stanley? Why does Blanche lie to Mitch about being younger than Stella? Why doesn't she like bright lights?

3. What happens between Stella and Stanley that ends the poker game? Analyze the relationship between Stella and Stanley.

Scene 4 1. How did Stella say she reacted to Stanley breaking all the light bulbs on their wedding night? How is this significant?

2. What idea does Blanche have to escape New Orleans with Stella?

3. What analogy does Blanche make in her description of Stanley?

4. When Blanche and Stella are discussing Stanley, his entrance to the apartment is washed out by a passing train. What does he hear Blanche say about him? How is Stanley feeling at the end of scene 4? How do we know?

Scene 5 1. In Scene Five, Blanche discusses astrological signs. What sign does she think Stanley was born under and why? How is her own sign symbolic? 2. Seemingly out of the blue, Stanley asks Blanche if she knows someone named Shaw. What is Blanche's response? What is being foreshadowed?

3. Discuss Blanche’s interaction with the local newspaper boy citing specific quotations from the conversation. What can be inferred about Blanche based on this scene?

Scene 6 1. Describe the interactions between Blanche and Mitch. How do each of them feel about the other? Prove citing specific lines from the play.

2. At the end of Scene Six, Blanche is confiding in Mitch by telling him the story of how her husband died. Explain the events surrounding his death.

3. The Varsouviana has been mentioned throughout the play; however, its historical significance is revealed in this scene. Summarize its symbolism and significance.

4. The use of light symbolism culminates in the end of the scene with Blanche saying, “And then the searchlight which had been turned on the world was turned off again and never for one moment since has there been any light that’s stronger than this – kitchen – candle…” (115). Where else is light mentioned in the scene? What conclusions can you draw regarding its symbolism? Scene 7 1. As Blanche prepares for her birthday party, Stanley reveals what he has learned about Blanche’s past to Stella. What has he learned and what is Stella’s reaction?

2. Explain the significance of Blanche bathing and singing as Stella and Stanley speak about her past.

3. Explain the irony of Blanche entering the room saying, “Oh, I feel so good after my long, hot bath, I feel so good and cool and – rested!...so refreshed” (128).

Scene 8 1. What does Stanley give Blanche for her birthday? Why does the Varsouviana music play after she opens it?

2. Explain the significance of the following quotation: “You didn’t know Blanche as a girl. Nobody, nobody, was tender and trusting as she was. But people like you abused her, and forced her to change” (136).

3. What happens at the end of scene eight?

Scene 9 and 10 1. Examine Blanche’s mental deterioration. How does Williams use colour, music, movement, wardrobe and dialogue to communicate Blanche’s decent?

2. “I don’t want realism. I want magic! Yes, yes, magic! I try to give that to people. I misrepresent things to them. I don’t tell truth, I tell what ought to be truth. And if that is sinful, then let me be damned for it! – Don’t turn the light on!” (145). Provide the speaker, context and significance of this quotation.

3. Who is responsible for Blanche’s fall? Is she responsible or is she a victim of social circumstances? Explain making specific reference to the text.

4. How does Scene 10 end? How does Williams foreshadow the event in the preceding pages?

5. What is the significance of Stanley referring to Blanche as a tiger in the final lines of the scene? How does this reference compare to earlier examples of animal imagery in the text?

Scene 11 1. What does Stella’s reaction to the rape at the end of the play suggest about her? About the overall situation?

2. At the end of the play, Blanche willingly exits with the kind doctor saying, “Whoever you are – I have always depended on the kindness of strangers” (178). What is the significance of this quotation? How does it shape your interpretation of Blanche and the other characters in the play?

3. At the beginning of the play, Stanley is bowling and at the end he is playing cards. What does this suggest about his views of life?

4. Only Scene three is given a title by Williams. Why do you think this is? Give a title to three other scenes and explain your reasoning for each title....